Malini has rebelled against her brother, Emperor Chandra. Gathering an army, she has driven his forces out of Ahiranya. As more vassals of his switch sides to her, the conflict grows. Chandra pushes back, though, using magical fire that stals her advance, burning far too many of her soldiers alive.
Her relationship with Priya grows as well, the women becoming closer though with suspicion from some followers of Malini who distrust Ahirani, especially those with magic. Nonetheless, they are undeterred and grow deeper in love. Bhumika, meanwhile, has begun to govern the freed Ahiranya.
While the army of Malini stalls at the maze fort in Saketa, which never once has been taken by an enemy, larger forces come into play. The yaksa return to Ahiranya, and demand worship from the Ahirani as they once received-or else. A war is prophesied between them and the mothers, the Parajati goddesses. Malini, Priya and many more are soon swept into this greater building conflict.
Tropes:
- 0% Approval Rating: No one aside from the priests really seem to like Emperor Chandra, as he demands complete obedience but offers only scraps in return for this, even aside from his violent zealotry about religion, which results in him burning many women alive as his human sacrifices. As a result, his sister Malini convinces many of his vassal rulers rather easily to switch sides and join her in a rebellion against him.
- The Coup: When she agrees to sacrifice herself in the future so the mothers will beat the yaksa in their coming war, the Parajati priests switch sides, joining Malini and overthrowing Chandra so she becomes the empress.
- Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: Karal is tortured into giving up intelligence needed for taking the maze fort.
- Magic Fire: Mothers' fire moves like a living thing, jumping from one target to the next after raining down out of the sky. It can be set on swords and arrows, moving from there to human targets.
- An Offer You Can't Refuse: The yaksa give the Ahirani nobles an ultimatum on their return: worship them or die slowly of the rot.
- Pre-Climax Climax: Malini and Priya roll in the sheets partway through, a while before the major showdown of the book.
- Sadistic Choice: Priya is given the choice of stabbing her lover Malini or the yaksa Mani Ara will kill all her other loved ones. She stabs Malini, grateful that it isn't fatal, with the utmost reluctance.
- Sibling Murder: Malini kills Chandra by giving him a choice: die by poison now, or slowly over time. Chandra does the former.
- The Siege: Malini has besieged the maze fort of Saketa after its lord sides with her brother and attacks her. However, it's not an easy target, with the fort withstanding every attempt to storm it and having vast supplies to help withstand being starved out. They later take the fort after learning about a secret entrance inside from Kanal, the lord's son, when he's tortured.
- Their First Time: Priya and Malini finally have sex after deep, sustained, building desire to.
